The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UNEP Risø Centre (URC) December’s newsletter includes stories on the Technology Needs Assessment (TNA) project and electrification in Africa, including efforts within the Sustainable Energy For All Initiative (SE4ALL). The newsletter also features several stories on the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), including capacity building projects in the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) region.
The Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) of the World Bank report, which is based on analyses in Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Poland and South Africa, finds that many of the greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction measures pay themselves back, while ambitious global action to reduce technology costs, scale up private sector financing, and provide climate financing is still required.
The UNFCCC Secretariat has achieved its aim of full climate neutrality by the end of 2012, through emission avoidance and reduction, plus an offsetting scheme using Adaptation Fund (AF) Certified Emissions Reductions (CERs) for the remaining balance. The UNFCCC Secretariat encourages other UN agencies and intergovernmental organizations to do the same.
The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the German international cooperation agency (GIZ) are helping Costa Rica’s coffee, waste management and public transport sectors prepare Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs), with the coffee NAMA first to be completed by end of 2012 and implemented in 2013.
The study covers both developed and developing countries, paying special attention to barriers to low-carbon, climate resilient (LCR) infrastructure in low-income nations due to basic banking services, lack of non-bank financial services, weak risk management capacity, and limited availability of long-term funding.
The EC presented a legislative proposal that aims to support the efforts of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to regulate aviation emissions. The proposal suggests a one-year deferral of airline requirements to surrender emissions allowances for flights into and out of the EU. Flights operating within Europe remain covered by the regulation.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council agreed to form a High-level Group regarding the feasibility of a global market-based measure for international aviation and to develop a policy Framework to guide its application. In response, the EU will “stop the clock” on enforcement of the inclusion of aviation in the EU’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) on flights to and from Europe until autumn 2013.
ICAO reports on initiatives focused on four key areas, including on: States’ action plans and assistance to States; sustainable alternative fuels for aviation; market-based measures; and global aspirational goals. The submission to the UNFCCC presented by IMO highlights that its Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) has been considering as part of its agenda actions to address GHG emissions from ships engaged in international trade.
A report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) Implementing Agreement for co-operation on Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Technologies and Programmes (IA-HEV) offers a snapshot of hybrid and electric vehicles (H&EVs) around the world, and explores global growth in the H&EV market in 2011, reporting sales of 1.2 million electric vehicles, including e-bikes and scooters, and 2.5 million plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in that year.
Participants in a recent meeting of the Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles (PCFV) initiated a new programme to reduce sulphur levels in fuel and tackle diesel emissions, and agreed to complete a lead phase-out campaign.